This invention relates generally to halogen atomic lasers, and, in particular, to an atomic iodine laser excited by ultraviolet radiation.
In the past an open cycle gaseous fuel system was used on CW iodine lasers. Due to the loss of the expensive fuel and the buildup of I.sub.2 in the lasing medium which caused quenching of the lasing, a closed cycle fuel system was used instead. The closed cycle fuel system was used on a longitudinal CW iodine probe laser, and although the closed cycle fuel system allowed continuous operation, the longitudinal iodine laser exhibited amplitude instability.
This instability, in particular, motivated a search for a CW iodine laser probe with greatly improved operating characteristics.